In the midst of failed negotiations causing a blackout, DISH Network filed a complaint on Friday with the FCC about Media General, which owns WNCT-TV in Greenville.

The same day, the satellite company and Gray Television, based in Atlanta, reached an agreement to continue the transmission of television stations in 30 markets, including WITN-TV, also in Greenville.

“Gray Television and DISH reached a long-term, mutually beneficial agreement in a professional and respectful manner,” said Kevin Latek, senior vice president of business development for Gray TV. “The DISH team has moved quickly to facilitate this deal and those quiet efforts enhance local service for our mutual customers in some of the smallest markets in the country.”

Sruta Vootukuru, DISH director of programming said the agreement is a long-term one.

Terms of the agreement, which includes WITN and stations in 16 other states, were not disclosed.

“(Negotiations) went pretty smoothly, as far as my understanding,” he said.

Gentner said he has not been informed, as of yet, of the contract terms.

DISH viewers have seen nothing but darkness since Oct. 1 when they turned to WNCT because of disagreements over cost for the satellite company to pay for programs they resell to customers.

DISH claims Media General, based in Richmond, Va., was attempting to raise its fees five times the current amount.

Vickie Jones, general manager of WCNT, said the amount being negotiated would come to “pennies a day.”

Gentner agreed the amount is small potatoes compared to the amounts networks such as HBO and ESPN charge.

DISH filed the complaint against Media General requesting the FCC to require the broadcasting company resolve the blackout.

In the complaint, DISH claims Media General has breached its statutory duty to negotiate in good faith.

“Media General’s conduct violates the Commission’s rules requiring good faith negotiation for retransmission consent rights,” the complaint states, “because, among other things, Media General failed to respond for 11 days to DISH’s last pre-blackout offer.”

The airwaves for about 46,000 satellite subscribers in the market area of WCNT, a CBS station — as well as areas in Raleigh/Durham and 10 other states — are being affected by the blackout.

“DISH customers and Media General viewers were without their shows and events for 11 days before Media General would even contact us,” said Dave Shull, DISH executive vice president. “We reacted with a counter offer within hours and Media General has yet to respond.”

DISH is requesting the FCC to push Media General to negotiate and “submit to mediation to get programming back to consumers,” Shull said.

In previous negotiations, Media General rejected an offer by DISH to match rates paid by pay-TV competitors or rates paid by DISH to other area broadcasters.

Page 2 of 2 - Phone calls to DISH Network’s corporate office by The Free Press were not returned.

Margaret Fisher can be reached at 252-559-1082 or Margaret.Fisher@Kinston.com. Follow her on Twitter @MargaretFishr.